Shoe for personal wear



lMay 1, 1928. 1,668,120

R. MCLAREN sHoE Fon PERsoNAL WEAR Filed oct. 1v. 1927 2 sheets-sheer 1 2 sheets-sneer -2 /xvvcwmf Robert McLaren y l @MKM R MCLAREN SHOE FOR PERSONAL WEAR Filed oct. 1v. 1927 May 1, 1928.

Array/veg 'Patented May 1*, 19h28.

N 1,668,120 PATENT ori-ica noBEB'rMcLAnEN, or ammonia, sco'rLANn, Assistme, 'ro GLnNmeLEs snon colm-` rm LIMITED, or BLAcxronn, SCOTLAND. i i

. snor. non. rnnsoiunwiun.

Animation mea october i?, i927, semi mi 'Ihis invention: relates to shoes l for personal wear and has for itsgeneral object to,`

improve the fit of the top of a shoe and to prevent the shoe from slipping at the heel.

A more specific object of t-he invention is to provide a shoe with improved means of the kind comprising a strap or the equivalent applied at or near the top of a shoe, more or less surrounding the opening, and formed or provided with one or more eyelets or the equivalent through which the ordinary shoe` lace can be threaded in such a manner as to tighten the upper about `the ankle qf the wearer when the lace is tied.

preferred the invention is not restricted thereto since a buckle or the equivalent means for securing and drawing up the ends ofthe strap or the equivalent may e utilized as hereinafter mentioned instead of the shoe lace.

The present invention provides a slioein which the strap or the equivalent is so 4applied at or near the top of the shoe that it extends for the most partbetween theshoe lining and quarter, being thus hidden'from view and protected, whilst being ada bed to keep the top of the shoe a snugiit on t e foot of the wearer. i

The strap or the equivalent may ybe in one or more portions and although the inventioncontemplates the use of a strap or strip of substantially inextensible material on one side only of the shoe, it is preferred to uti-4 lize two such straps one on each side, each of which is secured at the back of the shoe whilst the respective free ends by which they are drawn taut are passed through slits, either in the lining to the interior of the shoe to be secured above the tongue, or in the quarter to the outside of the shoe."` Preferably in either case the ends are drawn taut by threading the ordinary shoe lace through' eyelets in said ends prior to tying it.` Obviously a single strap passin right round the heel and secured at the bac of the shoe may be utilized instead ofthe two straps one on i each side. J Y

In some instances it has been found desir-v able to insert in the shoe what may be termed filling means to avoid any ridge or lum iness due to the ankle strap, and suita le means of this nature form a further feature of the present invention.

66 In order that the inventionmay be fully Although a construction of this kind is .p 226,642, and in Great nrimnomber s, ieee.

understood and readily carried into effect the same will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrating two preferred embodiments. Y

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. lis a perspective view of a shoe having means according to the invention applied thereto, and illustrating the neat appearance of such a. shoe; y v

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of one side of the liniig of such a shoe prior to fitting and regardedfrom the interior;

ig. 3 1s a plan view illustrating diagraminatically one manner of applying the invention to a shoe, and also the Way in which the shoe lace may be threaded to secure the desired eifect;

4 is a similar view to Fig. l of a shoe having the invention applied thereto in a slight y modified manner and also `illustratingin dotted lines referred filling means;

Fig. 5 1s `an elevational view of one side of the quarter of the shoe illustrated in Fig. 4` regarded from the interiorbefore the lining is applied thereto; and Fig. 6 is a view vsimilar to Fig. 3 but shewing a single strap the ends of which pass through slits in the quarter to the outside of the shoe. i

Referring more particularly to F igs.'1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings in alll of which the same reference characters indicate similar parts in the various fi ures, the shoe l has the shoe quarter 2 an the `lining 3. The strap or the equivalent illustrated consists of a strip 4 of substantially in extensible material on each side of the shoe quarter 2 aixed to the lining 3 at the back of the shoe "at 4 (by stitches for example) and passing between the outside quarter 2 and 96 lining 3 to a point below the top eyelet 7 of theshoe 1, where the end 5 is brought through a slit to the inside of the shoe (see Fig.` 2). The end 5 of each such strip may be provided with an eyelet 6. 100

y These strips `may be drawn taut by the ordinary shoe lacing 8, 9, which may be utilised in conjunction with said strips 4 for the purpose hereinbefore specified. In this case each end 8 and 9 of the lace from an eyelet 105 7 on one side of the `shoe may be passed through the eyelet 6 in the strip 4 on the o posite side of the shoe before being passed t rou li` the top eyelet 7 on the first mentione side, the lace being thus crossed. Fig. 110

l vide a 3 illustrates this diagrammatically,the end 9 of the lace being shewn by a chain. line.

It will be evident that if it be found that only one side of the shoe opening tendsV to sag or gape away from the foot a sin O'l'e strip 4 on that side may be employed, or 't' at a single strip 4 passing right round the back of the shoe between the lining 3 and quarter 2 may be utilized as illustrated Fig.. 6, either arrangement obviously falling within the scope of the invention.

Referring now more particularlyto Figs. 4, 5 and 6-.it will be noted that the free ends of the strip or strap 4, that ma be in one or two portions secured atV the ack of the shoe at 4, pass through slits in the quarter 2 to the outside ot the shoe where they may Vbe drawn taut by threading the ends of the shoe lace through their eyelets as illustrated priortotying it,.or if desired by a buckle or the e ulvalent; n

It wil be noted from Fig. 5 and the brief description thereof that the strap or strip 4 is in this instance mounted on the quarter, being secured thereto at 4 and passing through slits in thequarter adjacent the top eyelets of the shoe. It is also preferred to provide guide bands 10 secured to the quarter and to pass the strap 4 therethrough so that when it is tightened the quarter cannot belly out away from the lining. Such guide bands 10 are preferably made of thin fabric.

These modifications areV more or less obvious developments to those versed in the art but the chief distinguishing feature of this embodiment illustrated most clearly in Fig. 5 is the provision below the strap or the equivalent of filling means.

As illustrated .these means take the form of a strip l1 of leather or other suitable material of'V appropriate thickness applied to the inside of the shoe quarter 2 below the strap 4 above mentioned. Such a filling strip 11- preferably extends from the heel to a point slightly beyond the slit 4b in the quarter 2 and if of leather is preferably,

skived ofi.' towards the ends 12 and 18 and towards the bottom 14 so as to profrradual decrease of thickness so that the lling strip merges practically imperceptably into the quarter without leaving any definite ridge or lumpiness. The filling strip also stiifens the quarter to some extent. It will be understood from the above that it is assumed that the shoe shown in Figs. 4 and 5 will be constructed with a separate quarter on eachside each of whichy should be provided with a filling strip as well as with a strap or equivalent, though a continuous filling strip and a continuous strap may be employedif desired passing right round the heel between the quarter and lining as shewn in Fig. 6` The filling strip ma be secured in any convenient manner an in efliect a guide is formed' for the-strap between its upper edge and the top edge of the shoe towhich the linin would usually be stitched. The filling strip or strips may for example be secured Yby adhesive or stitches, or both.

In Figs. 4 and 5 a line of stitches 15 is shewn at; the. top, of the shoe and. these stitches may conveniently secure the lining to the quarter and the ends of the guide bands 10, whilethe dou le row ofv stitches 1G may be utilized to secure the bottomends of, the guide bands and the top edge of the filling strip 11.y

The usual lining is fitted inside the shoe, while it will be found that. the usual heel stiffenin-g piece which is inserted. between the quarter and the lin' ensures a. smooth and1 comfortable surface r thelining at the hee Y It will. ber understood that "although it is preferred for the sake of neatness and convenience to provide. the ends of the straps with eyelets and to utilize the ordinary shoe lace fortightening them any obvious equiv alent such as.; a.. buckle. could be employed for that purpose. f

Various lother modifications. may obviously be madeas desired while hearing in mind: that in accordance with the characteristic feature of the invention the strap or the equivalent is concealed from View between the shoe uarter and lining except for the ends by w lich it is drawn taut.

Itwill now be understood that the invention provides means for preventing stones,

sand or other matter from working. into shoes in wear owing t0 the snug fit attainable, without affecting their neat appearance or.the ease with which they can be cleaned.

Furthermore the cost of production of shoes is not increased substantially by applying the invention thereto.

-It .Will be understood that the termsiny the appendedclaim are employed by way of illustrationend not of limitation for ex.- ample the term strap should be read broadly to cover any obvious equivalent.

In a shoe, a Substantially ing-extensible strap secured to the inner upper margin of the quarter and adapted to be tightened by the shoe lace, and a filling strip of substantially the same thickness as said strapl se.- cured to the quarter beneath said strap and abutting the lower edge thereof, theI filling. strip being skived off towards its ends and its lower edge substantially as and furthe purpose described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

ROBERT MCLAREN. 

